Excellent Zin from Sonoma

This is a classic Zin from Sonoma.  Huge fruity explosions of fruit, oak and earthiness, along with a decent amount of alcohol.  What I love about Zins are the big, long finishes and the Hartford 2003 from Russian River Valley has this in spades. 

I do not agree with critics of Cali Zins that suggest their dominant flavors aren't fit for food, as compared to Old World techniques with more finesse.  You just need to know what to serve with a huge, dominent wine like this.  Beef, bacon, creamy, smoky.  You get the idea. But an aggressive wine like this also takes to alternative flavors that an Old World wine would never be paired with.  Take curry, for instance.  Dominant flavors of sage and rosemary.  Chipolte.  Smoky bacon or sausage.  Merguez.  Charchoal 'Q.  I could go on and on.  So I recommend you track down this Hartford and enjoy it with big, rich, distinctive flavors and revel in being over the top for a night.   Trust me, outrageous works in moderation.